Cricket: Gloucestershire turn to Jack Russell as they await return of top dog Bracewell (original) (raw)

Jack Russell, one of the most eccentric players ever to grace the game, has joined Gloucestershire's coaching staff. The county's website calls him a cricket mentor while elsewhere he has been described as a team strategist. Others, however, will suspect that the 44-year-old is primarily a stopgap.

Despite Russell's appointment, Gloucestershire's fixation remains the potential return of John Bracewell, their former coach, as director of cricket for the start of the 2009 season, a date which neatly coincides with the end of his contract with New Zealand.

"I make no secret of that fact - we would like John back at Gloucestershire and we are working on it," confirmed the county's chief executive, Tom Richardson, yesterday.

With Bracewell as coach, and his brilliant wicketkeeper Russell as a quirky on-field motivator, Gloucestershire won six one-day trophies between 1999 and 2003, their only concerted run of success since the days of WG Grace. Whether Bracewell's return would enable them to renew their relationship remains vague, although Russell is thought to be excited by the prospect. "At the moment we are looking at this season only," said Richardson. "Jack has massive experience and phenomenal energy and enthusiasm. He is so up for this. He is the kind of character who can be a mentor to the players. The purpose of his role is to ensure that the players are right mentally."

That will encourage a few wry smiles. Russell was a one-off. He rarely drinks alcohol and, in his playing days, famously lunched on two Weetabix and brewed endless cuppas from the same teabag. He could not be more secretive about where he lives if it were an MI6 safe house.

Even if he proves to be a stopgap, Russell's involvement has much to commend itself. He is a man of great resolve and no half-measures. He played 54 Tests and 40 ODIs for England and behind the stumps took it upon himself to be very much a strategist, often gesturing to bowlers where they should put the next delivery and chirruping scathingly at the batsman from behind his ever-present shades. Since his retirement, he has provided specialist coaching to England's wicketkeepers.

Gloucestershire's decline has hurt him; he offered to run virtually everything but the burger van as his career drew to a close, only for the county to give the coaching role instead to Mark Alleyne, who was sacked last month.

His role has been termed "part-time" but it sounds busy enough. Richardson insisted that Russell will attend all Gloucestershire's first-team matches, home and away, which does not leave much time for his career as a commercial artist. He has also taken to collecting and renovating vintage commercial lorries - his father was a lorry driver, which offers Gloucestershire a chance to save some money on team transport.

"Jack won't just be appearing now and then," he said. "We are bringing him in to take some weight off the captain's shoulders. We want Jon Lewis [the captain] to be out in the middle doing what he does best - taking wickets."

Lewis said: "I have always enjoyed a fantastic working relationship with Jack. He has been inspirational to me and the team in the past. I know he will throw himself into this role 100%."

Worcestershire also announced a new recruit yesterday. They have signed Fidel Edwards, the West Indies fast bowler, who will join them in mid-season.